Hanging closet

ABSTRACT

A hanging closet includes an upper closet unit defining therein a plurality of storage chambers, two lower closet units each defining therein a plurality of storage chambers and having an outer sidewall connected to one sidewall of the upper closet unit by a folding line such that the two lower closer units are turnable through 180-degrees relative to the upper close unit between a downwardly extending vertical position and an upwardly extending vertical position; a first fastening structure for detachably fastening the top walls of the lower closet units to the bottom wall of the upper close unit to hold the lower closet units in the downwardly extending vertical position, and a second fastening structure for detachably fastening the outer sidewalls of the lower closet units to the two opposing sidewalls of the upper closet unit to hold the lower closet units in the upwardly extending vertical position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to storage design technology and more particularly to a hanging closet that can be alternatively arranged into different forms.

(b) Description of the Related Art

Due to limited wardrobe spaces, hanging closets are highly invited. A hanging closet can be hung on a high place or in a wardrobe to keep storage clothes and other accessories in a classified manner. Regular hanging closets are commonly made of canvass or any of a variety of tough and flexible sheet materials, defining therein a plurality of front-open type storage chambers for keeping things. A hanging closet further has a sleeve or Velcro tape provided at the top side for fastening to a hanging rod for hanging.

However, conventional hanging closets have a fixed shape, not changeable to fit different requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a hanging closet, which comprises an upper closet unit, and two lower closet units that are connected to the upper closet unit and can be alternatively arranged between a downwardly extending vertical position at the bottom side of the upper closet unit and an upwardly extending vertical position at the two opposite lateral sides of the upper closet unit.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a hanging closet comprises an upper closet unit defining therein a plurality of storage chambers, two lower closet units each defining therein a plurality of storage chambers and having an outer sidewall connected to one sidewall of the upper closet unit by a folding line such that the two lower closer units are turnable through 180-degrees relative to the upper close unit between a downwardly extending vertical position and an upwardly extending vertical position; a first fastening structure for detachably fastening the top walls of the lower closet units to the bottom wall of the upper close unit to hold the lower closet units in the downwardly extending vertical position, and a second fastening structure for detachably fastening the outer sidewalls of the lower closet units to the two opposing sidewalls of the upper closet unit to hold the lower closet units in the upwardly extending vertical position.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first fastening structure comprises a plurality of first barrels arranged in two parallel lines on the bottom wall of the upper close unit, a plurality of second barrels arranged on the top wall of each lower closet unit along the outer sidewall thereof corresponding to the gap between each two adjacent first barrels of each of the two parallel lines of first barrels, and two pivot shafts respectively detachably inserted through the first barrels and the second barrels to connect the inner sidewalls of the lower closet units to the bottom wall of the upper closet unit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the second fastening structure comprises a plurality of first Velcro tapes fixedly located on the two opposing sidewalls of the upper closet unit, and a plurality of second Velcro tapes fixedly located on the outer sidewalls of the lower closet units and fastenable to the first Velcro tapes.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the first fastening structure comprises a plurality of first Velcro tapes located on the bottom wall of the upper closet unit and a plurality of second Velcro tapes located on the top walls of the lower closet units and fastenable to the first Velcro tapes; the second fastening structure comprises a plurality of third Velcro tapes fixedly located on the two opposing sidewalls of the upper closet unit, and a plurality of fourth Velcro tapes fixedly located on the outer sidewalls of the lower closet units and fastenable to the third Velcro tapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a hanging closet in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of part 1A of FIG. 1 after the first fastening structure unfastened.

FIG. 2 is a status of use of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the first fastening structure unfastened and the lower closet units respectively turned outwards relative to the upper closet unit.

FIG. 3 illustrates the two lower closet units set turned upside down.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a hanging closet in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a hanging closet in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 6, showing the two lower closet units respectively turned outwards relative to the upper closet unit.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a hanging closet in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8A is an enlarged view of part 8A of FIG. 8 after the first fastening structure unfastened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1A, a hanging closet in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising an upper closet unit 1 and two lower closet units 2. The upper closet unit 1 defines therein a plurality of storage chambers 11. Each lower closet unit 2 defines therein a plurality of storage chambers 21. Each lower closet unit 2 has an outer lateral side edge of the top wall thereof foldably connected to one lateral edge of the bottom wall of the upper closet unit 1 by a folding line 3, and an inner lateral side edge of the top wall thereof detachably connected to the bottom wall of the upper closet unit 1 by a first fastening structure. According to this embodiment, the detachable first fastening structure comprises a plurality of first barrels 12 arranged in line on the bottom wall of the upper close unit 1 and extending in front-back direction, a plurality of second barrels 22 arranged in line along the inner lateral side edge of the top wall of the respective lower closet unit 2 corresponding to the gap between each two adjacent first barrels 12, and a pivot shaft 5 detachably inserted through the first barrels 12 and the second barrels 22 to connect the inner lateral side edge of the top wall of the respective lower closet unit 2 to the bottom wall of the upper closet unit 1. When the upper closet unit 1 and the two lower closet units 2 are assembled together, the hanging closet shows a substantially

-shaped profile (see FIG. 1). The hanging closet further comprises a second fastening structure. According to this embodiment, the second fastening structure comprises a plurality of first Velcro tapes 4A fixedly located on the two opposite lateral walls of the upper closet unit 1, and a plurality of second Velcro tapes 4B fixedly located on the outer lateral wall of each lower closet unit 2 (see FIG. 1). The first Velcro tapes 4A can be tapes of hook (or loop) materials. The second Velcro tapes 4B can be tapes of loop (or hook) materials detachably fastenable to the hook (or loop) materials of the first Velcro tapes 4A.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4 and FIGS. 1 and 1A again, after removal of the pivot shaft 5 of each first fastening structure, the two lower closet units 2 can be respectively turned outwards relative to the upper closet unit 1 through 180-degrees from a downwardly extending vertical position shown in FIG. 1 to an upwardly extending vertical position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. After the two lower closet units 2 have been respectively turned outwards relative to the upper closet unit 1 from the downwardly extending vertical position to the upwardly extending vertical position, the second Velcro tapes 4B are respectively fastened to the first Velcro tapes 4A to secure the hanging closet in a substantially U-shaped profile as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Further, each lower closet unit 2 has a sleeve 23 transversely located on the bottom wall thereof. When the two lower closet units 2 are set in the upwardly extending vertical position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a hanging rod (not shown) can be inserted through the sleeves 23 of the lower closet unit 2 for hanging the hanging closet on a high place.

FIG. 5 shows a hanging closet in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the upper closet unit 1 has a sleeve 13 located on the top wall thereof for the insertion of a hanging rod 6 for hanging, and a transverse rod 7 is detachably connected between the two lower closet unit 2 and spaced below the upper closet unit 1 at a distance for hanging clothe hangers.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a hanging closet in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. This third embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid second embodiment with the exception of the first fastening structure. According to this third embodiment, the first fastening structure comprises male (or female) Velcro tapes 4A2 located on the bottom wall of the upper closet unit 1, and female (or male) Velcro tapes 4B2 located on the top wall of each lower closet unit 2.

FIGS. 8 and 8A show a hanging closet in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This fourth embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid third embodiment with the exception that the first fastening structure comprises two male (or female) Velcro tapes 4A1 located on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the upper closet unit 1, two extension flaps 24 suspending from the top wall of each of the two lower closet units 2, and a female (or male) Velcro tape 4B1 located on each of the two extension flaps 24 for fastening to the male (or female) Velcro tapes 4A1.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A hanging closet, comprising: an upper closet unit, said upper closet unit defining therein a plurality of storage chambers for storing things, said upper closet having a top wall, a bottom wall and two opposing sidewalls; two lower closet units, each said lower closet unit defining therein a plurality of storage chambers for storing things, each said lower closet unit having a top wall, a bottom wall, an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall opposite to said inner sidewall, the outer sidewalls of said two lower closet units being respectively connected to the two opposing sidewalls of said upper closet unit by a respective folding line such that said two lower closer units are turnable through 180-degrees relative to said upper close unit between a downwardly extending vertical position and an upwardly extending vertical position; a first fastening structure adapted for detachably fastening the top walls of said lower closet units to the bottom wall of said upper close unit to hold said lower closet units in said downwardly extending vertical position; and a second fastening structure adapted for detachably fastening the outer sidewalls of said lower closet units to the two opposing sidewalls of said upper closet unit to hold said lower closet units in said upwardly extending vertical position.
 2. The hanging closet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first fastening structure comprises a plurality of first barrels arranged in two parallel lines on the bottom wall of said upper close unit, a plurality of second barrels arranged on the top wall of each said lower closet unit along the outer sidewall thereof corresponding to the gap between each two adjacent first barrels of each of the two parallel lines of first barrels, and two pivot shafts respectively detachably inserted through said first barrels and said second barrels to connect the inner sidewalls of said lower closet units to the bottom wall of said upper closet unit; said second fastening structure comprises a plurality of first Velcro tapes fixedly located on the two opposing sidewalls of said upper closet unit, and a plurality of second Velcro tapes fixedly located on the outer sidewalls of said lower closet units and fastenable to said first Velcro tapes.
 3. The hanging closet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first fastening structure comprises a plurality of first Velcro tapes located on the bottom wall of said upper closet unit and a plurality of second Velcro tapes located on the top walls of said lower closet units and fastenable to said first Velcro tapes; said second fastening structure comprises a plurality of third Velcro tapes fixedly located on the two opposing sidewalls of said upper closet unit, and a plurality of fourth Velcro tapes fixedly located on the outer sidewalls of said lower closet units and fastenable to said third Velcro tapes. 